c. 565 – 636
Feast Day
April 4
This bishop’s extensive writings influenced church thinking for a millennium. As bishop of Seville, Spain, from about 600 until his death, he presided over two councils, promoted acceptance of the “filioque” clause of the Creed, and battled the Arian heresy. He wrote a history of the barbarian invasions of Spain and compiled in “The Etymologiae” all that was known in his time. Nearing death, he gave away everything he had, confessed his faults to his people in church, and received Communion. Pope John XXIII admired his ideas about the ideal bishop, notably that ”Every bishop should be distinguised as much by his humility as by his authority.” A doctor of the church, Isidore is the patron saint of computer users.